By Aaron Allen, The Seattle Medium
Last Saturday marked a joyous occasion in Seattle’s Central District as the community gathered to celebrate the completion of the revitalized Dr. Blanche Lavizzo Park.
Organized by Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR), the ribbon-cutting event not only unveiled the transformed park but also paid homage to Dr. Blanche Lavizzo, the first African American female pediatrician in Washington.
“As we celebrate the renovated park, we are honoring Dr. Blanche Lavizzo, a dedicated community member and the first African American woman pediatrician in the state of Washington. She was a strong advocate for the health of this community,” said AP Diaz, Seattle Parks and Recreation Superintendent. “This vibrant space, envisioned by the creativity of our children, stands as a symbol of our commitment to fostering inclusive play and community engagement. The park embodies our shared vision for healthy people, a thriving environment, and a vibrant community with positive outcomes resulting from public-private partnerships.”
The collaborative effort introduced new play equipment and structures catering to children of all abilities, spanning ages 2 to 12. This initiative aligns with the broader One Seattle campaign, which seeks to bridge communities.
Karen O’Connor, a Strategic Communication Advisor for Seattle Parks and Recreation, was excited about how the project brought the community together.
“This is a significant event because everyone is coming together,” said O’Connor. “We had volunteers building, which was super exciting. Kaboom, a community organization building playgrounds nationwide, and the McKinney Center, all converged to cut the ribbon on the new play area for the Central District.”
Zain Aldahlaki, the project manager for Seattle Parks and Recreation who played a pivotal role in constructing the park, also emphasized the total community effort invested in the project.
“Working with all the partners, with Kaboom, with over 80 volunteers coming here to help with the build. It was completed on time, and we are happy to see the kids and the community using the play area,” said Aldahlaki.
As community and business leaders convened at the park, Gerald Bradford, current president of the Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority, expressed his excitement about providing opportunities for kids to play. However, he also recognized the challenges.
“Super excited about being able to have spaces for the community that are going to provide opportunities for kids to be able to come and actually play, says Bradford. “I think our challenge now is to make sure that this particular space is clear of drugs and crime and we need to be really working in our community in order to eradicate the problems that happening right now so that these kids can have an opportunity to be kids
Shaude Moore, Chief Executive Officer of the Central District Community Preservation and Development Authority, which governs the McKinney Center for community and economic development, shared her excitement for the future.
“About today, it was good to see these babies which was really a highlight for me,” says Moore. “Being a young professional, seeing the possibilities and collaborations that have come together with all the different groups celebrating the reopening of the park.”
As organizations are showing a willingness to come together for the betterment of the community, the McKinney Center has been vital and is preparing for its grand opening in the near future and hopes to build on this momentum.
“We are holistically trying to keep the community involved in the foundational blueprint on what the McKinney Center and its surrounding areas will be in two years when we finally open our doors,” added Moore. “But today is centered around providing a safe space for our babies and elders and providing resources. Today is great, right before the holiday season. We talk about Thanksgiving, and I am very thankful for being here and for the relationships and partnerships that were created here today.”
According to Diaz, public and private partnerships were essential in this effort to create a space for a community that is starving for safe places.
“We are here to celebrate community, public and private partnerships,” says Diaz. “We have built and are building beautiful playgrounds right here in the heart of this community that was hungry for spaces and activities for children.”
“Surrounded by a lot of housing communities here and an otherwise pretty dense and busy area. The significance and importance of this event is that through partnerships with organizations like Kaboom, Car Max Foundation, ARC Council and Seattle Parks and Recreation, we came to together to build a project with community input is extremely important,” he added.